'Another ISKCON Namhatta Centre Set Ablaze in Bangladesh': ISKCON Kolkata VP Radharaman Das

Kolkata: ISKCON Kolkata vice president Radharaman Das sharing a photo said that another ISKCON temple with idols were torched in the wee hours of Saturday at Dhaka.

Initially Das taking to X said, “Another ISKCON Namhatta Centre burned down in Bangladesh. The Deities of Sri Sri Laxmi Narayan and all items inside the temple, were burned down completely. The center is located in Dhaka.  Early morning today, between 2-3 AM, miscreants set fire to the Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple and the Shri Shri Mahabhagya Lakshmi Narayan Temple, which fall under the Hare Krishna Namhatta Sangha, located in Dhour village, under the jurisdiction of Turag Police Station, Dhaka district. The fire was initiated by lifting the tin roof at the back of the temple and using petrol or octane.  Address: H-02, R-05, Ward-54, DNCC, Dhaka 1230.”

Later talking to the media, Das said that he initially thought that gradually the violence in Bangladesh is coming to an end.

“I have kept my phone off for some days as the news was really disturbing. Then yesterday when I had switched my phone on, I saw the disturbing images and news of Lakshmi Narayan temple was vandalised and then torched with petrol. I am very disturbed to see the entire temple got burnt. I am feeling like keeping my phone and going to the Himalayas,” said Das.

Das also mentioned that the meeting with minority heads with the interim-government had apparently given them ‘hope’.

“In the meeting with the interim-government, even ISKCON representatives were there. The government after the meeting had deployed forces outside a few ISKCON temples. But even then, the Lakshmi Narayan temple was attacked. We heard that people over there are saying to ban ISKCON and if the government doesn’t do that then the people will kill the monks. We are in distress till those who are giving hate speeches are not identified and arrested,” further added the ISKCON Kolkata vice president.

Former Brigadier Debashish Das said that Bangladesh is digging its own grave by such acts.